Fennel is the polite member of the digestive family. Where ajwain arrives hot and insistent, badian is sweet, cool and slow — which is why it has always been the arq given to children, to the elderly, and to anyone whose stomach objects to strong remedies. Laraib distils whole Punjab-grown seed and bottles the water entirely unsweetened.
What it is traditionally used for
- Traditionally taken to help the stomach digest a heavy or rich meal
- Long used to disperse trapped wind, bloating and flatulence
- Taken for the dull heaviness that settles after fried food
- Used for griping stomach pain and to ease sluggish, constipated bowels
- Traditionally taken in support of the liver, kidneys and bladder
- Mild enough to suit men, women and older children equally
How it is made
Whole fennel seed is soaked overnight to soften the husk, then charged into a traditional still and taken up gently on low steam. The condensate is collected slowly and only the aromatic portion is kept — run it too far and the water turns flat. Single-origin seed, with nothing added afterwards: no sugar, no essence, no preservative.
How to take it
30–60 ml morning and evening, and again half an hour after a heavy dinner. It is pleasant enough to drink plain and needs no dilution. Chilled it makes an excellent summer drink; a little warmed it works better on a cold, sluggish stomach. Children over five may take 10–15 ml.
Good to know
- 800 ml family bottle
- DRAP registration number 0803812100
- Naturally sugar-free and mild enough for older children
- 100% natural steam distillate; keep refrigerated after opening
Kanwal Hussain (verified owner) –
My mother has taken saunf water her whole life and refuses any other brand now. She says Laraib’s is properly distilled and that you can smell the difference the moment you open it.
Nazia Hashmi (verified owner) –
Nice cooling fennel taste and it does settle the stomach after fried food. The bottle is heavy and the cap is not the easiest to close tightly — I have to be careful how I stand it in the fridge.
Shahzad Yousaf (verified owner) –
I had heaviness and constipation for months from sitting at a desk all day. Two glasses a day for three weeks made a real difference, and it costs a fraction of any imported detox drink.
Nadia Farooq (verified owner) –
Much gentler than ajwain and my children will actually drink it. Half a glass after dinner and the bloating is gone. Naturally sweet, so nobody complains, and there is no sugar in it at all.